Bass: Who is he really?
by Leo-Blazer
Summary: We all know who Bass is. But do you know his life story? Taken mostly from the game, it depicts Bass's life from creation, to the day that made him the souless being he is today. Has 1 or 2 bad language scenes.


_Now, I,m writing this into the night and I'm already half asllep, so I don't know how well this chapter will turn out. Hope for more to come!_

It was a busy day in Scilab. Only a few months ago, Alpha, the very basis for the current day net, had been completed and installed after many months of hard work. Even before the Scilab team could celebrate, they were already onto another project. With the net now up and running, NetNavis had begun to be handled by everyday citizens, though still not in large numbers.

Dr. Cossak, one of the head scientists of Scilab, had just walked in from a short lunch, when an attendant came running up to him, piles of paper in hand, seeming to be in a hurry.

"Dr. Cossak! We need you in Room 6b! There's trouble with the prototype!"

Cossak sighed as he ran his hands through his, oddly natural, orange colored hair. This was what happened day in and day out. They had been working on a special Navi, a navi that didn't rely solely on operators and PET's, for two weeks now.

_You think it wouldn't take so long to assemble a single navi! _Was what ran through Cossak's mind as he made his way to Room 6B on the third floor. But even the lowest of scientists knew that this was no ordinary NetNavi. This Navi would be able to maneuver through cyberspace, without the help of an operator. Not only that, but this navi would also be able to carry and use his own Battlechips, as well as heal himself if he sustains any injuries.

Because of the power this navi could possess, many either thought it was hopeless, or had tried to end the project because they thought they would be unable to control it, leading to their destruction. Three different lead scientists had already quit and another was institutionalized for sudden insanity. This had made Cossak the new head of the AutoNavi Project.

But now, even Cossak was having second thoughts. He had racked his brain for hours on end, trying to find a way to install the Battlechip holding system, while at the same time making sure the Navi didn't crash or become completely unstable. He had tried over a dozen different solutions. All had failed.

As he made his way to the room, he saw several different scientists, running back and forth with different information, for several different projects. That's how it was here at Scilab. Always working on one project after another, never seeming to end.

Entering testing Room 6B, he already saw several different scientists, running from machine to machine. Some were checking the data; others were checking the machines themselves. No mater what they were doing, things were definitely in chaos.

Trying not to get hit by a passing worker, Cossak quickly made his way to the front terminal, a scientist by the name of Williams hitting keys as he walked up next to him.

"What we got Will?" Will turned to the sound of his name.

"Cossak, we've tried a dozen different sequences, a dozen different times, and the core still won't except the data!" Will gestured to the main screen. In the center of the screen, surrounded by constantly spinning containment rings, was the AutoNavi core.

The core was, at the moment, the only breakthrough in the AutoNavi Project. They had quickly realized that an ordinary navi core would malfunction underneath the huge strain of the AutoNavi's data, so they had designed a stronger, more durable core (that they figured) would be able to withstand the huge amount of data.

"Have you tried adjusting the core frequency to account for any fluctuating power spikes?"

Almost immediately, Will starting punching codes into the computer. "Already on it sir."

"Good. Let's also run a full system checks before we try again. We can't afford any more failures." Failure was something they couldn't afford. If they weren't able to finish this, they would not only loose funding, but this could also damage the integrity of Scilab, which was something none of them wanted.

After twenty minutes of adjustments and system checks, they were once again ready to try again. Everyone prepared for anything, as the system was put into action.

On cue, packets of specially made data started to appear, flowing towards the still pulsating core. Everyone held their breath as they all saw the first bits of data make contact with the core, causing it to pulsate even more. Then, the hard part. Hitting another series of keys, a blue ball appeared next to the core. The Battlechip system.

Slowly, the blue orb started to inch it's way towards the core. They had made it this far on more then one occasion. But when they tried to upload the sole Battlechip System, something always went wrong. Everyone watched as the program came closer and closer, until…

As the program made contact with the core, red lights started to go off and alarms started to go on every machine in the room. Everyone started running back and forth, checking machines, running through the data, trying to find out what was happening.

"William! What's going on?"

"An energy spike!"

"I thought you accounted for that!"

"I did, twice! But the core still cannot contain the program! It's overloading!" William reached over, ready to abort, when Cossak grabbed him.

"Cossak, what are you doing! We have to shut it down!"

"No! We can't afford to fail! The program is still bonding with the core. In a few moments, the process will finally be complete."

"But, Cossak…" Will stopped when he saw the look of fierce determination on his friends face. He moved away from the abort switch, as he looked back up at the screen.

The core was now rippling, as the program started to imbed itself into the ball of energy. Data continued to pour into the core, but at a faster rate then before. The data suddenly started to group, forming rings around the core. As that happened, a form started to appear on the screen. First, a basic body started to form, followed by hands, then boots…

Suddenly, sparks started to run from the machines. The still forming body started to ripple and lose its shape as data started to flow in every direction. Some of the terminals even started to smoke, unable to take the stress.

"No! We're so close!" Suddenly, Will grabbed him by the shoulders.

"Cossak! We have to shut it down now!"

"But…"

"If we don't, we could lose the lab and the core, everything we've worked for! Do you really want that?"

Cossak looked from his friend, to the core, then back again. If they continued, they could finally succeed after all this time! But if it failed…

"…Shut it down…" spoke Cossak, in a very reluctant tone.

Releasing his friend, Will turned to his console and slammed his fist down on the "Abort" button. Immediately, the rings surrounding the data started to spin, faster this time. Like a pair of magnets, the data started to get pulled away from the still chaotic core, sticking to the rings before disappearing back into the system. After a few seconds, the Battlechip program was extracted as well, causing the core to slowly return to normal.

As the core returned to normal, so did the lab. Several people grabbed nearby fire extinguishers to put out some of the smoking machines, while others tried to assess the damage. Cossak, in a rage, slammed his fists against the console.

"DAMN IT! Why is it, no matter what we do, we can never get it right?"

"Cossak, maybe it's time you to take a break from work…"

"No, I can't. I have to finish this."

"But you'll burn yourself out if you continue to work without rest!" In truth, Cossak had been working non-stop for almost 3 weeks. He had only taken time to eat, think, go to the bathroom, and take the occasional rest every 30 or 40 hours or so.

"But, I…"

"Listen." Interrupted Will. "You're exhausted, to tired to think. Take at least the night off. You'll be able to figure it out after a good nights rest. Trust me."

Cossak sighed as he realized that Will was right. "I guess you're right. Maybe a good nights sleep will do me some good." Getting, he made his way past the frantic workers, out into the hallway. He hung his head in failure as he made his way to his office.

Entering his office, he took off his lab coat and threw it onto the rack near the door. Slamming the door shut, he made his way to his desk, taking a seat in his desk chair.

"Maybe this project is impossible. Maybe there is no way to make a navi that can act on it's own." He silently started to mutter to himself. Grabbing his bag, he quickly placed whatever he needed inside, before stepping out, ready to head home.

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Cossak spent most of the night sulking, trying to figure out what kept going wrong. He lived in a small apartment, most of the furniture covered in dust from lack of use. Because he rarely lived here, he only had to pay rent once in a while.

Cossak spent most of the time watching the news, picking at a microwave dinner. No matter what he did, he couldn't get the AutoNavi project off his mind. Hoping Will was right about some sleep, he decided it was time to turn in

Though no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't fall asleep, more ideas running through his head. He tried everything to fall asleep: glass of warm milk, a good book, something really boring, but nothing seemed to work.

After a few hours, he just decided to stare up at the ceiling, hoping to fall asleep.

_If only we had something to stabilize it…_ started to run through his mind, and he was soon muttering, "Stabilize…Stabilize…Stabilize…"

Suddenly, he bolted upright in bed. He had it! He knew how they could stabilize the core! Climbing out of his bed, he ran to his computer, and silently prayed after so long that it still worked.

It worked! Opening his data archives, he started to quickly scroll through, hoping that it was still there…there! Stopping, he hit the link, opening the file and causing a stream of files and documents to appear on his screen. Along with those, a single image, of a metal chair with wires and computers hooked up to it appeared.

The Pulse-in chair. Many years ago, a smart scientist named Wily had designed a chair that could allow a person to transmit their brainwaves into cyberspace, creating a net version of themselves. The chair was soon deemed too dangerous and was later scrapped, but Cossak knew that Scilab still had a few in their basement.

With a human in cyberspace, they could maneuver the data more efficiently and fix any problems at the source. But…it was risky. If anything happened to the person while in cyberspace, they would feel it in the real world. Also, there was still something missing…something that could help the core merge with the program.

It was then, that he decided on a drastic course of action. Reaching towards his desk drawer, he punched in the code for the electronic lock. Pulling open the drawer, he reached in and pulled out…a single key.

Getting up from his chair, he crouched down and yanked one of the floorboards loose, revealing a secret compartment. Reaching in, he pulled out a small lockbox. Placing the key in the padded lock, the lock clicked as he turned the key. Removing the lock, he opened it up, revealing…another code lock.

Hitting in a ten-digit code, the lock made another clicking noise, as steam started to flow from the cracks. Opening the long since opened case, he reached in and pulled out his true prize…a small microchip. A blue star was engraved on the front.

Years before, Cossak had worked for a military. He was instructed to build the Getability, a program that allowed the user to absorbed any amount of data, allowing them to steal secrets right out from under peoples noises. However, when he tested it, he found it was too powerful. He later destroyed his blue prints and said he was unsuccessful, soon being fired. He kept the chip tightly locked up…until now.

Installing the chip would give the stability that they needed, but he still was having second thoughts. If it did work, he had no idea how the AutoNavi would react, or how he would use the program. But, a thought entered his head: If it didn't work, the chip would be completely destroyed, ensuring it could never be used ever again.

Pushing the thought of what the chip could do from his mind, he grabbed his PET from his desk. If he worked all night, he may have a chance to get the Pulse chair for tomorrow. Quickly punching in a quick phone number, he hoped that the receiver would pick up. After two rings, he heard, "Hello?" from the other line.

"Aaron?" Aaron was the head of Scilab, "I just got an idea for the AutoNavi Project, but I need a favor from you."

"Sure, what is it?"

"Uh…the Pulse-in chair?" He held his PET a few inches from his ear to avoid the yelling that ensued. After several moments, he placed it near his ear again and caught the end of the yelling.

"The Pulse-in chair!?! Are you insane!?! Do you know what that thing can do?"

"Yes, I realize the risks but it could be the only hope we have to complete this. So can you get the chair or not?"

"Yes, but you have no idea how long this could take. You better be ready for an all-nighter."

"I knew that would happen…"

The next morning… 

It had taken all night, but Cossak had finally been able to get the Pulse-in chair. Will may have been surprised to see Cossak walk in early the next day, with two movers, carrying a huge crate.

"Cossak, what are you doing here? And what's in the crate?"

"You were right Will. A good nights sleep did help me. And I think I found a solution to the problems we've been having with the AutoNavi." With that, Cossak gestured to one of the workers, who grabbed a crowbar from his belt. With one sharp pull of his crowbar, the sides of the crate fell away, revealing the Pulse-in Chair, which caused everyone in the room to gasp.

"Cossak, are you nuts? You know as well as I know that this thing is just too dangerous!"

"I realize that, but it could be the only thing to help us finally succeed."

Will thought it over for a second, before realizing that he was right. "But…who's going to be the one in it?"

"I will."

"But, Cossak…"

"Listen, it was my idea, so I'll be the one who goes through with it. Now, lets stop arguing and get this thing set up!" That stopped any further arguments. Within twenty minutes, the chair was soon hooked up and up and running. A slight humming could be heard.

"Well…it's already Cossak." As he said this, Cossak got up and took a seat in the chair, testing the feel of it. Will still had a look of worry on his face.

"Cossak…you sure you wanna go through with this?"

"I already told you. This was my idea, so I'll be the one who takes the risks."

"But…if we lose you…"

"Don't worry! I'll be fine!"

"Ok…if you say so." With that, Will steps over to the console, ready to put it into action. "You ready?"

Cossak nods, as he palms something in his hand. The Getability program. Slowly, to ensure no one sees, Cossak places it in, ready to upload it when he pulses in.

Will is still unsure, but he trusted his friend, and hoped that this chair…didn't double as an executioners chair. Typing in a series of codes, the humming started to get louder. After a few minutes, it was ready. Will reached for the switch and in one swift motion, the chair roared into life.

The humming suddenly grew ten times louder, almost deafening everyone around it. Sparks started to run along the wires, straight towards the chair. Cossak started to twitch, before his eyes closed, and his body became motionless.

"Cossak!" Will runs from his console towards Cossak's body. He shakes his friend's body, but nothing responds. "Cossak! Cossak!"

"_Will you please stop yelling Will."_

Will looks up at the sound of his friends voice but still sees his motionless body. He turns to the source of the voice, and gasped. On the screen infront of him, next to the still pulsating core, was an exact copy of Cossak. His voice was being broadcast from the nearby speakers.

"_So, are you going to keep gasping at me, or are we going to start already?"_

Now that Will knew that Cossak was alright, he gestured to the other workers. "Everyone, to your stations!" At his command, everyone started running to their terminals, getting everything ready once again. After ten minutes, they were already.

"Ok Cossak. We're ready to begin."

"_Good, cause I'm sick of waiting!" _

"Alright. Starting up system…" Hitting several more keys, the packets of data started to appear around Cossak. Using his new cyberspace body, he started directing the data towards the core, making sure the right data was in the right place. After a few minutes, the Battlechip program appeared infront of him.

Grabbing it in his hands, he started to step towards the core. Slowly, he started to inch the program towards the core. Everyone braced for something as the program made contact.

For once, nothing happened. Still moving at a slow pace, Cossak pushed the program in, connecting the two data bodies. At the same time, the data started to approach the core, ready to form the body. Suddenly…

Sparks started to leap from the core, hitting several different bits off data. Cossak stepped back as the sparks started to get more and more violent.

"Cossak! Another energy spike! You have to get out of there!"

"_No, I can fix this! Just give me some time!"_

"But, Cossak…" Before he could finish, sparks started to leap from his system, smoke rising from the vents. Seconds later, flame started to pour out of the terminal. He had been cut off from Cossak, no way to tell him what was happening and no way to shut it down.

Meanwhile, Cossak was trying to keep the energy spike in check. He was currently maneuvering the data away from the sparks, ensuring that anything important didn't get destroyed. Once that was done, he looked up to see the core, becoming even more violent by the second.

"_I have to stop this or we could lose everything!"_ It was then, that he decided it was time to use…it. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out the Getability program, now shaped like the star engraved on the front of the chip.

Running up to the core, he ducked as another bolt arched above him. He had to reach the core before it imploded. If that happened… He tried not to think of that as he got closer and closer to the unstable core.

Suddenly, a bolt of energy shot forward so fast, he didn't have time to react. Striking him straight in the chest, he felt the pain of the energy flowing through him, as did his body. Everyone in the room turned as they saw Cossak's body start thrash around in pain. Will was getting worried by the second.

Still struggling through the pain, Cossak clutched the program in his hand. Like a ninja star, he tossed it straight at the core, smiling as he saw the program pass into the core. Suddenly, a blue pulse started to flow from the core. The core slowly started to return to normal, releasing Cossak from it's hold.

As he hit the ground, he looked up to see what was happening. As the core became stable once again, the data started to flow towards it. It started to bunch together, forming a definite shape, like it had a mind of it's own. Then, a huge burst of light shot forward. Cossak had to cover his eyes to keep from being blinded, and the workers looked on as the entire room was bathed in light. Moments later, it stopped, and everyone gasped at what they saw.

Instead of the core in the containment rings, they now saw the form of a NetNavi. Both his boots and gloves were made of golden armor, along with a chest plate of gold armor. Strange fin like things jutted from his black helmet, with gold in between them. The blue star of the Getability program was positioned on his helmet, just above his eyes. He had a peaceful, sleeping look on his face.

For a moment, nobody moved. Then, the whole room erupted into a crowd of cheering. Several people were still cheering as they put out the fire on some of the machines. Slowly, Cossak made it to his feet as he looked at the completed Navi.

As he looked on, Will got the terminal back up and running. "Cossak! You did it!"

"Yes…I did…" Cossak was still worried about something. He had used the Getability program to finally succeed, but he was unsure what his decision may cause them in the future…

"So Cossak, what should we name the little guy?" Said Will, interrupting his train of thought.

Cossak was unsure of what to name him. He looked him over, trying to find something definitive to name him from. It was then that he noticed his icon. It was completely black, except for a gold ring around it. In the center, was a green musical note for forte, or…

"I know. We shall call him…Bass."

_**End Chapter**_


End file.
